Scribbled Thoughts

Complicity by Iain Banks

This book isn’t usually the genre type I read, a crime thriller, but I have to admit I was gripped all the way through.

Cameron is an intriguing character. Even if he isn’t very likeable he is recognizable and even relatable. The murderer’s scenes written in second person are really gripping and disturbing. I didn’t believe Cameron was ever the killer, mostly due to how much resources they had. For most of the book I thought it was William, but once he died it was clear it had to be Andy.

I also love the ending. No one really wins and no one has a perfect happy ending. It really shows how certain situations in our life affects us, setting us on certain paths and causes. It also makes the murderer the happiest/most content person in a way. He accomplishes what he wanted and escapes so he can continue it, while Cameron is left dying of cancer, the woman he loves gone.

This book was a great read, with great characterization and a very clever use of point of view.

Poem 20:61

Poem 20:84

Poem 20:90

Poem 20:93

Poem idea

20:135

Exhaustion so deep

it bypasses bones

and penetrates the

core, the everything.

A disease worse than

death, a pain

you can’t even feel

as it buried into

your being and

slowly

consumes you.

Poem 20:100

Poem idea

20:134

Pry open the limits

of language, connect

with gestures,

images and

sounds of nonsense.

As long as you

understand, does

it really matter

how your souls

speak?

Poem 20:102

Her Birth by Rebecca Goss

Her Birth by Rebecca Goss

This poetry collection is heart breaking, deeply moving and beautifully done. The poems go through the birth, short life, death and aftermath of Goss’ daughter, born with a heart condition.

It describes the pain of knowing she will die, but trying to give her everything they can while she’s still there. They still need to do mundane activities like eat even with a terminally ill baby. Every illness is life threatening; hospital trips considered normal.

The most heart-breaking section is when her daughter is gone and she is a mother with no child. She can’t move on or let go, and is angry that other people don’t realise her loss or still have their children, alive and well.

It describes the barrier/distance it creates with her other relationships, mainly with her husband. Her grief, anger and overwhelming loss are always present. Even when they decide to have another child, and get to experience the joy of a healthy baby, she constantly worries she will forget her first or belittle her short life by enjoying her sister.

It’s an emotional read, and I teared up a few times (on a train, no less) but I highly recommend it. It’s beautiful, raw emotion in poem form.